Test Drives to Top Fives: 2015 Cadillac CTS

We have a new segment called Test Drives to Top Fives where we film Khaled and Jay test driving brand new cars while driving them to Top 5 restaurants in Mississauga. Check out Jay Kana’s in-depth car review and check out the video below.

Test Drive: 2015 Cadillac CTS Top 5: Burger Legend (Top 5 Poutine)

About a decade ago, I was working for a paper copying company owned by a courier company and during my training period, my manager often said to me "Jay, we're the Cadillac of the industry. We're the best, the benchmark, we're in a league of our own".

Yes, I'd heard the word "Cadillac" to be synonymous with luxury and class but never in a work environment. So every time I had a meeting with a client, I'd always remember what my manager said. True, the paper company prices were higher than our competitors but it was the value that surrounded it which justified the higher rates.

And perhaps that's true of most things in life; you get what you pay for. Buying $10 "Rolex" watches from a street vendor shouldn't be considered the deal of the century.

So here we are in 2015 and Cadillac's CTS 3.6L AWD Premium trim is why you're reading this.

I'll start with what gets you from A-Z, which is a 3.6L V6 producing 321 horsepower, which is plenty to keep you moving. There's a 2.0 Turbocharged I-4 that's good for 272 horsepower and a mighty 3.6L twin turbocharged V6 offering 420 horsepower. Oh, and the 18 inch run-flat tires provide an excellent pedestal for this all-wheel-drive model, especially for Canadian buyers with our temperamental winters.

And the handling is dreamy. Yup, I just used the word dreamy. How about this? The handling is precise and sharp allowing you to gracefully move with ease and pleasure.

Using the magnesium paddle shifters was easy and comfortable along with utilizing the option to adjust steering and transmission feel bolstered the sportiness of the CTS both on city roads and highways.

At first glance, Cadillac has stepped up its game in the ever-competitive luxury segment by creating aggressive, well sculpted lines, having sleek LED lights across the entire vehicle and there's still a recognizable aspect to the Cadillac band, even in the 2015 version.

The front end looks distinguished and clearly luxury-based, even if the Cadillac logo were to be absent. The back end, well, it's simply beautiful. Period.

Inside, there's not a single dial to be found on the centre console; all controls are based on either the touchscreen option or via a "slider" system where you slide your finger over a thin silver line to control volume or by pushing on the silver lines corresponding to what you want for climate control.

The infotainment system is courtesy of the eight-inch CUE (Cadillac User Experience) system and while it houses many options, it was a bit finicky for me at times.

The steering wheel controls are nicely laid out and very easy to operate and the 12.3 inch digital dashboard makes it easy to read all the information you need.

Having 20-way adjustable leather seats makes it easy to find your optimal driving position and having a power rear window sunshade (manual ones for the two back windows) is definitely a nice touch. Well, that and the tremendous list of standard features.

With a starting price a touch above $70,000, the 3.6 AWD Premium model resides near the top of the CTS lineup, only surpassed by the V-Sport option.

And if you check out the spec sheet for the Premium model, you're definitely getting tremendous bang for buck.

All in all, the CTS is easy on the eyes with great styling on the outside and comfortable, modern beauty on the inside. It balances power and luxury proficiently while offering a sharp handling ride and is crafted for driver enjoyment.

Between the aforementioned and three great engine choices, buyers in this competitive segment will have plenty to mull over about which direction to go thanks to the CTS.